“Lying? That’s on everything I love!” Marlene slapped her palm on the counter to punctuate her statement. “Rolled in with the whole little ragamuffin crew, dressed in their cheap-ass Sunday rags. This bitch actually had the nerve to act like it was a coincidence.”

“You know them hos don’t eat nothing outside of McDonald’s and Chinese food,” Audrey added.

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. She tried to get me to step out of character, but I held it together, ’cause a classy bitch always holds it together.” Marlene raised her hand and Audrey slapped her palm.

“Yes, Lord,” Audrey agreed.

“Paul got ready to break fool, but I made him let it roll. That’s all I would’ve needed is him and his baby mama causing a scene in public. Needless to say, I had lost my appetite, so I got the check and we rolled. The whole way to the door, I could feel her beady-ass eyes on me.”

Audrey grabbed the tray holding their food and led the way to an empty table by the window. “I would’ve whipped her ass if I were you.”

“You know, I like to consider myself a lady and avoid the bullshit. But at the rate she’s going, it’s gonna come to that.”

“What does Paul have to say about it?”

“He’s checked her on her bullshit a few times, but the effect is always temporary. I feel like pulling my fucking hair out.”

“Shiiid,” Audrey began, sliding into the chair, “then your ass is crazy. If I were you, I’d kick Rhonda in her ass and tell Paul to pull his-self together and come up to your level or keep it moving,” Audrey said bluntly.

“Come on, Audrey, you know Paul is my boo.”

“Boo, my ass, Marlene. Time is too precious to be wasted on someone who ain’t with the program. Baby, these are the glory years and we ain’t got a lot of ’em.” Audrey sipped her Coke.

That’s why Marlene liked talking to Audrey. She was a straight shooter who would let you know exactly what it was. In a sense, she was right. They were approaching their glory years and the thought of them passing them by and still not getting life’s plan right was a dreadful one. No one wanted to die an old maid, but at the same time, she knew that Paul would be a work in progress when she got with him. She saw something in Paul that he didn’t yet see in himself and she sought to shape him. Unfortunately, it was taking a little longer than she had planned. Paul was a brilliant young man, but at the same time he was so fucking ghetto. Still, he was her young’n, and she’d give him enough rope to hang himself.

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